CHICAGO, Oct. 30 -- Washington's bid to host the 2008 Super Bowl fell short today when the NFL's team owners awarded the game to Phoenix.

Washington, Phoenix and Tampa made presentations this morning, on the final day of an owners' meeting at a downtown Chicago hotel. Phoenix received the required 24 votes among the 32 teams on the owners' first ballot.

"It was not an easy decision, but they won convincingly," said NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Tagliabue cited the positive experience when Phoenix hosted Super Bowl XXX, and the lure of the state-of-the-art stadium being planned for the city. Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell received a standing ovation from his fellow owners here on Wednesday on the heels of the league moving Monday night's Miami Dolphins-San Diego Chargers game from wildfire-ravaged San Diego to Tempe, Ariz.

"It didn't hurt," Tagliabue said. "But fundamentally the most important thing was the long timeline of work from the Bidwells, the governor and the mayor. Rome was not built in a day, and this Super Bowl was not built on Monday night."

Many owners have been resistant to playing a Super Bowl in a cold-weather city without a domed stadium.

"I'm against playing in the cold weather, but that wasn't the decisive reason," said Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson. "Phoenix got the game."